Thank you Carolina for your Dedication to Fighting Hunger!

Apr22

Despite her children’s worries, Carolina Diaz tells them she’s going out and will be home later. After ignoring their constant advice to stay home, she simply leaves.  At 82 years of age, she cannot stay put and she doesn’t.

Even after suffering from a fall and breaking her hip, she refuses to stay home. Carolina has been volunteering at the Food Bank mobile pantry sites since 2013, logging more than 300 hours.

“In the morning I get up crooked, but after a while, I’m ready to go,” Carolina said. “I can still get around and as long as the good Lord lets me get around, I’ll be everywhere.”

As the Food Bank’s mobile pantry sets up at Allison Elementary, Carolina is anxious to begin distributing food to the more than 200 clients who have been patiently waiting for hours. She takes her usual place alongside two other friends. The rest of the volunteers already know the trio is in charge of the bread and tortilla table.

However, her assistance is needed at more than the bread table. She is one of the very few volunteers who are bilingual. Her translation skills are crucial to new clients who are attending a mobile food pantry for the first time.

She lets them know how to sign up, explains the process and even tells them about other pantries they can go to if they need further assistance. After three years of experience, she knows that elderly Spanish-speaking clients are the ones who need the most help.

“It’s what makes me happy, helping the elderly people,” she said.

With limited bilingual volunteers, it’s hard to help everyone. Her passion to assist those in need doesn’t stop at the mobile pantry. Carolina takes action and spreads the word about the Food Bank’s mission and the need for bilingual volunteers.

“We need bilingual volunteers, but we don’t have them,” she said. “They need me here, and I help out as much as I can.”

The Food Bank’s mobile food pantries aren’t the only sites that lack bilingual volunteers. When she’s not at a mobile pantry site, she’s volunteering at other food pantries translating and making tortillas to feed hungry families.

This unstoppable sweet older might not be at her house, but her service is known in her community. Even her children are surprised by the amount of friends she has.

“I’d rather get out of the house and volunteer,” she said. “I enjoy helping people out and making friends, it just makes me feel good, that’s why I’m still here.”

Carolina and the small group of bilingual volunteers can’t assist all the Spanish-speaking clients the Food Bank has. We are in need of bilingual volunteers to help us provide efficient assistance. If you're bilingual, sign up today!